Scottishpower error - advice please

Wolfman_2 · 21 February 2006 at 1:18AM

12 months ago I switched to a Scottshpower dual fuel package.

Just considered switching again via Tesco/Powergen and have noticed an error on the calculation of electricity charges on the Scottishpower statements.

I am on Economy 7 with day and night rates and the meter readings were given to Scottishpower at the outset who then notified my previous supplier NPower, who correctly charged me for their supply to the date of switch.

However, I have just noticed that the Scottishpower statements show the day rate as the night rate and vice versa. Given that i have 88% day usage it would seem I have underpaid by approx £150+.

Anyone know where i stand on this?

Meter readings have always been done by me over the phone.

Scottishpower did read the gas meter but not the electric - don't know why.

Do I have any recourse against Scottishpower?

Should I simply notify them and pay up? Not that I can afford it!

Should I switch and hope they don't notice when they get the final reading from the new supplier?

Many thanks

Steve

[Deleted User] · 21 February 2006 at 9:06AM

'Should I switch and hope they don't notice when they get the final reading from the new supplier?'

I would!

Basil_Fawlty · 21 February 2006 at 10:34AM

Go for it!! They've made enough money out of us and will for a good time to come, just switch - their fault not yours!!

:cool:

(you are getting the 2000 points for switching aren't you;) )

Cardew · 21 February 2006 at 11:42AM

Presumably you phoned in the correct readings but they transposed them?

I wonder if they will say it was your error? Unless they have a recording of your message. I would imagine that with the increasing use of customer supplied readings this must be a pretty common event - not transposing readings but simply people mis-reading the meter.

As for 'where you stand' - I would guess the 'small print' covers them and not you; but they might make a goodwill error if they admit their error. I cannot think that they will use your readings for a final bill when you close the account; so I would think your chances of 'getting away with it' wouldn't be high.

As an aside why are you on Economy 7 when only 12% is used at night? If the bill was correct it surely must be a more expensive tariff for you the 'normal ' tariff?

Wolfman_2 · 21 February 2006 at 7:00PM

I can only presume I gave the correct readings, particularly as Scottishpower then passed on the final readings to my previous supplier NPower and their final bill shows the correct day and night rate readings.

Don't know why I'm on Economy 7 really - when we bought the house new some 12 years ago the electric meter had 2 digital dials and we have simply passed the readings on to our elec supplier since then. I'm not aware that I can change to any other "normal" rate.

I think Powergen seem too unreliable to switch to (and I did want the 2000 clubcard points), having read the "Powergen are a shambles" thread - it seems they are even worse for billing errors etc.

Seems I may as well switch to another provider and take the chance that Scottishpower don't pick up that the day/night rates are transposed when they get the final reading via the new provider - even if they do spot the error seems I have some case to request a goodwill gesture".

Thanks for the advice.

sleepy · 21 February 2006 at 9:23PM

Why not just ask them to swap you to the standard non e7 tarriff. Then they just add the day and night readings together to get your overall usage. This way it doesn't matter which way round the readings are, added together they come to the same amount. Then you can switch suppliers to another satndard tariff and it'll never matter which reading is which.

Wolfman_2 · 21 February 2006 at 11:33PM

Sleepy "Why not just ask them to swap you to the standard non e7 tarriff"

No sign on their website that this is an option however I'll give them a call tomorrow.

Thanks

sleepy · 22 February 2006 at 9:48AM

I work for British Gas and we do it all the time. If someone realises that they use a lot more in the day than at night it's really simple just to swap them onto the standard tariff. We just add the day + night readings together to get them as an overall usage and then charge at the standard rate, the meter doesn't need to be changed or anything complicated.

Wolfman_2 · 22 February 2006 at 8:11PM

I phoned Scottishpower today and the fella said that if i had 2 meter readings then I had to stay on E7 and could not move to the standard rate. This was before I read Sleepy's last post - so I will phone again tomorrow.

sleepy · 23 February 2006 at 9:21PM

Wolfman wrote:

I phoned Scottishpower today and the fella said that if i had 2 meter readings then I had to stay on E7 and could not move to the standard rate. This was before I read Sleepy's last post - so I will phone again tomorrow.

That's really strange

, we do it for people several times a week! Maybe you'll get someone more useful when you ring back (or you could tell them British Gas will do it for you - I'msure that'll get them springing into action).

Wolfman_2 · 24 February 2006 at 7:19PM

I didn't bother phoning them back. I guessed thay would figure something was wrong when I asked to be moved to the standard rate from what appears to be 88% night usage.

Decided to switch to Powergen via Tesco and hope Scottishpower don't notice when they get the final reading.

Scottishpower error - advice please

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free